Metallic ring-packing.



PATENTED Nov. 8, 1904.

JPC. PAINE. METALLIC RING PACKING. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

yaw My! Witnesses Attorneys.

Patented November 8, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT Trice,

JEDEDIAH C. PAINE, OF WILKESBARRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

METALLIC RING-PACKING.

SPECIFIGA TION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,490, datedNovember 8, 1904.

Application filed December 18, 1908. Serial No. 185,656. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JEDED AH G. PAINE, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of WVilkesbarre, county of Luzerne, StateofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inMetallic Ring- Packing, of which the following is a description.

The present invention relates to improvements in metallic packing-ringsfor pistonrods and valve-stems used in connection with steam, air, orgas engines or other machinery.

The invention relates generally to that type of metallic ring-packing inwhich a metal casing made in two parts and having one or more annularcavities therein contains in it a plurality of sectional rings made ofmetal. The grooves are sufficiently deep so as to allow sufficientlateral movement of the rings to compensate for irregularities in thepistonrod or side play of the rod and at the same time make asteam-tight joint. So far as I am aware the prior art discloses the useof such rings combined in pairs, the one toward the pressure side beingdivided radially, while the other, which makes the steam-tight jointwith the shaft and casing, is tangentially divided, so as to form asteam-tight joint irrespective of the amount of wear upon the innersurface of the ring. The tangentially-cut ring heretofore has beenforced into close engagement with the rod by the pressure of the steamacting upon its periphery, the said steam entering at high pressure thatportion of the annular cavity that is outside of the ring and passingthereto through the separating intervals between the radial sections ofthe separating-ring that is toward the pressure side of the packing. Ihave discovered after an extensive experience that this arrangement ofthese ringsproduces objectionable results and is wrong in principle. Itcauses the tangentially-cut ring to wear away far more rapidly than itsradially-cut companion ring, and the increased friction caused by theintroduction of the chamber-pressure of the steam upon the periphery ofthe tangentially-cut ring causes the rod to wear away far more rapidlythan is necessary. The usual arrangement of a tangentiallycut ring witha supporting radially-cut ring is open to the further objection that ifby inadvertence the relative position of the rings should be reversedthe packing will be imperfect and leakage will result.

I find that it is unnecessary to secure the pressure of steam upon theperiphery of the tangentially-cut ring, but that suflicient pressure canbe secured by the usual encircling spring.

The present invention comprises a tangentially-cut ring which issubstituted for the radially-cut supporting-ring as previously used andwhich is so located in relation to the other tangentially-cut ring thatthe joints between the two will be broken. These rings are arrangedwithin a two-part casing having grooves, two rings being placed withineach groove. Each of the grooves is but very slightly wider than thethickness of the pair 1 of rings, but is sufficiently deep to permitlateral movement of the rings, so as to compensate forirregularities inthe piston-rod and side play of the rod. The constituent parts of thering are held in engagement with the rod solely by their encirclingsprings. The rings are maintained in proper relative position so thatthey break joint by means of any suitable device; but I prefer to use apin upon one ring engaging with the opening in the other.v Both ringsbeing tangentially cut, each will form a steam-tight joint With the rodand each will be of continuous surface, so that the steam atchamber-pressure will not pass into the annular cavity and act upon theperiphery of the second ring, as has heretofore been the case. With myinvention the steam at chamberpressure forces one ring against the otherand that against the side of the annular cavity, thus making asteam-tight joint with the cavity and with the rod. Both ringsbeingidentical, it is immaterial which is toward the chamber.

In order to better understand the nature of the invention, attention isdirected to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodimentof the invention, and in which Figure 1 shows a sectional view of thestuffing-boX with the casing therein partly in section. Fig. l is anenlarged sectional view of a portion of the packing-rings, rod, andcasing. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the two rings separated, butshowing their relative positions as to the location of the tangentialjoints; and Fig. 3 is a reverse view of one of the rings, showing theopening or mortise within which the pin or dowel of the other ringengages.

In all of the several views like parts are designated by the sameletters and figures of reference.

The invention is intended to be applied to metallic packing locatedwithin the stuffingbox A, which is of the usual type and surrounds therod B and is provided with a head or gland C, secured in position byseveral bolts and nuts D. I/Vithin the stuffing-box and surrounding therod is a two-part casing E, the parts being secured together by screwsF. The casing is divided into aplurality of annular cavities G in theform of internal grooves.

The above-described arrangement of stuffing-box and casing is old andwell known in the art and when not in combination with the parts to bedisclosed forms no part of the present invention.

The rings a and I) are identical and are formed each of a plurality ofpieces, (three being illustrated,) the entire ring being in the form ofa disk with a center opening and divided into sections by means ofstraight tan- .gential cuts, so that the abutting faces will beparallel. The two rings are so secured within the annular cavities Gthat the joints 0 and (Z will break, whereby steam will not leak throughthe joints of the two rings. The rings are maintained in this mutualrelation by any suitable means, that illustrated consisting of a pin ordowel 6 upon one ring engaging with the opening or mortise f of theother. The sections of each ring are secured in position around the rodby the usual spring g or by other suitable means.

The position of the rings in relation to the annular cavity isillustrated in Fig. 1", in which the face 5 of the ring 6 is open topressure from the steam-chamber. The pressure of steam upon the face 5forces the ring 6 into engagement with the ring a and engages the latterin turn against the wall 3 of the cavity G. The chamber-pressure uponthe ring is sufficient to prevent leakage from the cavity G by the ringa and wall 3. Neither will there be leakage through the space i, whichseparates the two rings, as the rings will be in close engagement. Thespace 1, separating the ringo from the wall of the cavity G, is so smallthat an inappreciable amount of steam will escape to bear upon theperiphery of the ring a. For this reason the ring will not be forcedagainst the rod by the pressure of the steam, as has heretofore been thecase; but the ring will be held there solely by the action of the springy. In the structure heretofore in use, in which the ring correspondingto the ring 7) is divided radially, the space separating the sections issufficiently large to allow the steam at chamber-pressure to enter thecavity G and bear against the periphery of the ring a, forcing it with adisproportionate pressure against the rod, causing excessive frictionand undue wear upon both rod and ring. I have found in practice thatboth rings a and I) wear equally and that such wear is inappreciablewhen compared to that of the tangentially-cut ring when com bined withthe radially-cut ring, as has hitherto been the practice.

Suiiicient space within the chamber G is left to allow lateral movementof the rings to compensate for irregularities in the piston-rod and sideplay of the latter, so that the rings will have sufficient play withinthe grooves for this purpose. It is to be noted that the rings areengaged against the wall 3 solely by the steam-pressure and not by agland or head and are held in engagement solely by their encirclingsprings and are free to move laterally to compensate for irregularitiesin the piston-rod and side play of the latter.

My invention may be applied to the packing of piston or valve rods insteam, air, gas, or other forms of engines and to the rods in air or gascompressors, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a rod and an annular grooved casing, of a pair ofsectional rings surrounding the rod and arranged within a groove, thesaid rings being divided solely on tangential lines, and so mutuallyarranged as to break joint, the said rings having allowances for playwithin the groove, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a rod and an annular grooved casing, of a pair ofsectional rings surrounding the rod, and arranged within a groove, thesaid rings being divided solely on tangential lines, and so mutuallyarranged as to break joint, the said rings having allowances for playwithin the grooves, each of said rings having an encircling spring,which serves as the sole means of maintaining contact of the ring withthe rod, substantially as described.

3. In a ring-packing, the combination with an annular grooved casing anda rod, of a plurality of sectional rings surrounding the rod, the saidrings being arranged in a plurality of pairs, each pair within a groove,the said rings having allowances for play within the groove, and beingdivided solely on tangential lines, and so mutually arranged as to breakjoint, substantially as described.

4. In a ring-packing, the combination with an annular grooved casing anda rod, of a plurality of sectional rings surrounding the rod, the saidrings being arranged in va plurality of pairs, each pair Within agroove, the said rings having allowances for play Withinthe groove, andbeing divided solely on tangential lines, and so mutually arranged as tobreak joint, each of said rings having an encircling spring, Whichserves as the sole means of maintaining contact of the ring With therod, substantially as described. I

This specification signed and witnessed this 15th day of December, 1903.

J EDEDIAH C. PAINE. Witnesses:

J NO. R0131. TAYLOR, JOHN L. LoTsoH.

